


Just Say The Word

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-07
Updated: 2015-06-07
Packaged: 2018-04-03 06:07:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4089883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short fic. Based on Dick’s quote from Batman&Robin 34. “You know how much Damian meant to me, Bruce…just say the word and I’m at your side on Apokolips to the bitter end.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Say The Word

**Author's Note:**

> I’m a huge loser and will use any excuse in the world to write emotional things about Dick and Damian, with Bruce maybe as a supporting character. Batman&Robin 34 was that excuse today.

Dick didn’t radio in reports anymore. Bruce was on Apokolips, he knew that. There was no one there to take the reports, no one who even knew this line existed. 

Still, every night, after he and Helena returned from whatever mission they’d been sent on, Dick would dismantle the alarm clock on open the line. 

“Birdwatcher to Mister Malone.” He’d call. Even with no answer, he’d listen to the faint static for hours. Just in case. 

It was probably all for naught, he knew. Bruce said he wasn’t going to call him, and more often than not was a man of his word. Regardless, Dick couldn’t help but be hopeful. Couldn’t help but be anxious. Bruce had claimed things as suicide missions before, and come back unscathed. Not to mention, if Bruce was successful – and again, he was a majority of the time – then he wouldn’t be coming back alone. 

Dick couldn’t stop the grin washing across his face at the thought. 

This continued on for days, bordering weeks. The hope never wavered, but with each hour, Dick’s worry grew. Should a trip to Apokolips take this long? Hell, should anyone even _be_ on Apokolips longer than an hour or two? 

It was after a ridiculously frustrating mission. Not bad by any means – after all, Dick got the information he wanted, and he and Helena took down their enemy with some pretty solid teamwork. Really, it was the complete _opposite_ of bad. But still annoying, still…weird. Being a spy wasn’t as easy as James Bond made it out to be. 

He found himself taking apart radio out of habit. He was too exhausted to be hopeful or worried. Too tired to do anything but go through his routine before crashing on the creaky mattress. 

“…tcher…” The communicator commanded. After a second, the voice on the other end sighed. “Come on, Dick, you’ve gotta pick up.” 

Dick jerked, fumbling the equipment in his hand. “Here, I’m here! Everything good? What’s going on?” Suddenly he found himself rising from the desk. “I can be in the air in ten minutes, just give me your-” 

“It’s okay.” Bruce said loudly, cutting Dick off. His voice was quieter, “It’s…it’s okay Dick.” Dick held his breath, waiting out Bruce’s pause. “…we got him.” 

Dick’s shoulders instantly dropped, and he was abruptly forced to steady himself against the desk’s ledge as his knees became jelly. His smile was immediate and threatened to tear the skin of his cheeks. He closed his eyes as he exhaled. 

“Dick?” Bruce questioned nervously. “It’s…we won. Damian is…he’s alive. My son is alive.” 

Dick choked on a laugh. Or maybe it was a sob. Quickly he rubbed a hand over his mouth. “And how is he?” 

“Fine. Sleeping right now.” Bruce sounded weary, and Dick almost asked him to give the details of what happened. But before Dick could make the request, Bruce inhaled. When he spoke it was Batman’s voice. “Birdwatcher, I’m going to need you to come to Gotham for a night or two. Your…assistance is needed.” 

This time, the sound that escaped Dick’s throat was most definitely a laugh. Bruce’s hidden meaning was clear. He was sure Damian wouldn’t know he was there, probably wouldn’t even be conscious – led to believe he was dead like everyone else was – but that was okay. Just to _see_ the child would be enough. At least for now. 

He pushed off the desk, smile starting to ache but not shrinking as he said, “Loud and clear, Mister Malone. I’ll be airborne in ten, should land in Gotham in about an hour.”


End file.
